Avtar Bhat
KATHUA, May 2: The families of three prisoners from the Kathua district lying in Pakistan’s Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore for over decades fear worst in view of the murder of Indian prisoner, Sarbjit Singh by Jail inmates.
The pall of gloom descended over the families of these three prisoners as soon as they came to know about the death of Sarbjit Singh this morning. Their spouses were in state of shock praying for the lives of their husbands as they have lost all trust and faith in the system of justice prevailing in the neighboring country where the Jungle Raj persists over the decades.
The family members of these prisoners have also lost the faith in international human rights organizations who have failed to take cognizance of murder of Sarbjit Singh who was convicted by Pakistan Supreme Court and was facing death sentence.
“We have lost all faith in the system of justice in prevailing in Pakistan and on the role of international human rights bodies as they failed to seek justice for Sarbjit Singh and now we fear worst as there is no guarantee that my husband will return”, said Rano Devi wife of Jagdish Raj an Indian Soldier who was arrested by Pak army during 1971 Indo-Pak war in Punjab Sector.
Raj was lodged in Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore and his wife said that on a radio broadcast from Lahore later in 1971 Raj had said that he was fine and is lodged in Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore. But much to the shock and surprise of family after the exchange of prisoners of war of 1971 by both the countries he was not released.
His wife made many unsuccessful attempts of seeking his release since then by meeting every one in the Government who matters.
A sobbing and dejected Rano Devi told Excelsior that when an under trial of Kot Lakhpat Jail from Hoshiarpur, Punjab was released in 2004 he visited our house with the message of my husband that he is fine and had requested him to convey this to his family.
She said that when former Chief Minister of Punjab Amrinder Kour visited Kot Lakhpat Jail she could not find the prisoner there as all the prisoners of war were shifted from there to other jails of the country.
With today’s incident Rano Devi who was hoping against hope that her husband will return some day has lost it. She was sitting before the TV from morning for entire day wailing and sobbing.
Rano Devi said that the name of her husband also figures in the prisoners of war list exchanged by India-Pakistan in month of January every year and the family gets pension from army as prisoner of war.
Same has been the story of Urmila Devi wife of Kuldeep a civilian prisoner in Kot Lakhpat Jail Lahore and a resident from Makwal in Billawar township of Kathua district who mistakenly crossed the border 20 years back and was arrested by Pak rangers. Even after completing the 10 years imprisonment granted to him by a Pakistani court Kuldeep was not released by Pak authorities till date and he is still longing in Kot Lakhpat Jail as per reports said, Urmila.
She said her husband has not been released despite the fact that Pak Supreme Court issued directives to Government to release all under trails who have completed the sentence. “ I received a letter from my husband last month in which he mentioned that he was fine but his chances of meeting his family were dim as Indian Government was not pursing the case with Pak authorities”, she added.
His mother who is still alive also craves for return and repatriation of her son. “I want to die only I see my son is back in his family” said a frail and weak mother of Kuldeep.
The story of Vaishno Devi of village Budhi in Kathua is altogether same. Her husband Om Parkash who also crossed the border with a mistake in 1998 was arrested by Pakistani army and later lodged in infamous Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore. He also completed five years sentence but has not been released by Pak authorities till date.
Vaishno Devi said as Pakistani Supreme Court in 2004 ordered the release of all under trials who have completed their sentence her husband was shown released in the jail records but shifted to somewhere in Muzafarabad Jail in PoK where the Pak SC has no jurisdiction. She said that she was informed the same by fellow prisoners of her husband after their return to India who were lodged in the Kot Lakhpat Jail along with Om Parkash and later released after completing the sentence.
Vaishno Devi seeking the release of her husband met Pak High Commissioner in New Delhi and she also had received a letter from Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan which intimated her that Government is trying for the release of her husband.
She also met Daljit Kour sister of Sarbjit Singh in Amritsar and made a joint appeal through media in Amritsar that Indian prisoners languishing in Pak Jails be released.
Concerned over the safety of her husband after the Sarbjit Singh episode today she alleged that Union Government has not pursued the Pak Government forcefully to release her husband.
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